The Honda Passport is already a pretty good SUV, but with the debut of the new TrailSport trim, it just got a whole lot better. As its name implies, the TrailSport trim will make the Passport, and in the future, other Hondas like the Ridgeline, a much more capable vehicle off-road. In fact, the 2022 Honda Passport TrailSport is such a good SUV off-road that it simply outclasses the 2022 Toyota 4Runner TRD Off-Road in pretty much every way.

The 2022 Honda Passport TrailSport is a great adventure vehicle

As Car and Driver wrote, the TrailSport trim is launching on the Honda Passport, and it’s a pretty good trim all said and done. This Honda adventure SUV is equipped with a 3.5-liter V6 that produces 280 horsepower and 262 lb-ft of torque. When properly equipped, it can tow up to 5,000 pounds. It also has all-wheel drive and can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in just 6.1 seconds.

While the Passport can only hit a top speed of about 114 mph, it handles pretty well off-road. That’s helped by its 8.1 inches of ground clearance, as well as its new set of wheels. The TrailSport trim also features some new bumpers, skid plates, and standard roof rails, which help make the Passport TrailSport look like an SUV that’s meant to go off-road. When it comes to fuel economy, the Passport TrailSport is also decent, as it gets about 21 mpg combined.

In terms of comfort, the 2022 Honda Passport TrailSport is still a Passport. Its interior is nice and spacious, and its ride quality is still good. According to Car and Driver, options are limited right now as Honda is still focusing on rolling out the new trim, but add-ons include new wheels, crossbars, side moldings, and more. In terms of pricing, the Passport TrailSport starts at about $44,000.

The 2022 Toyota 4Runner TRD Off-Road is a strong competitor

Off-roading fans are likely familiar with the 2022 Toyota 4Runner TRD Off-Road and its great qualities. It’s a big, spacious SUV that offers quite a bit of passenger space and cargo capacity. It’s also a very reliable SUV, and that’s especially important for anyone who’s taking their car off-road. That said, one reason why the 4Runner is so reliable is due to how old it is. 

Unfortunately, the 4Runner’s current 4.0-liter V6 engine hasn’t received many updates in over a decade. The 4Runner’s engine produces 270 horsepower and 278 lb-ft of torque, which allows it to tow about 5,000 pounds. However, the Toyota 4Runner takes about 7.6 seconds to go from 0 to 60 mph, making it a pretty slow SUV for daily driving.

Its interior is also a bit dated, and its fuel economy is pretty bad. It gets 17 mpg combined, which was acceptable 10 years ago, but it’ll mean a lot of money at the pump nowadays. As for unique features, the TRD Off-Road trim level includes Crawl Control, Multi-Terrain Select, a part-time 4WD system, and a TRD Off-Road branded interior. Price-wise, the 4Runner TRD Off-Road starts at about $41,500, which is roughly comparable to similar SUVs.

Here’s why the Passport TrailSport beats the 4Runner TRD Off-Road

While the 2022 Toyota 4Runner TRD Off-Road is cheaper, the 2022 Honda Passport TrailSport is only about $2,500 more expensive. For that added price, the Passport TrailSport offers quite a bit more desirable features than the 4Runner TRD Off-Road does, in addition to a more reliable engine.

Additionally, while both all-terrain models will be capable off-road, nobody’s going to be off-road all the time. When it comes to daily driving, the Honda Passport TrailSport is the better choice. It’s significantly more fuel-efficient, has much better acceleration, and has more modern interior features. By comparison, the Toyota 4Runner TRD Off-Road has a more spacious interior, but that’s about it.